1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a component supplying apparatus and a component supplying method for supplying components onto nozzles of a transfer head of a component mounting apparatus.
2. Background Art
Conventionally, a carrier tape has been used for supplying components onto nozzles of a transfer head of a component mounting apparatus. The carrier tape includes a base tape in which a plurality of depressed or embossed recesses accommodating components are arranged in a tape length direction and a top tape which is pasted on the base tape so as to cover the plurality of recesses having the components accommodated therein. The top tape is removed from the base tape so that the components in the recesses of the carrier tape can be sucked by the nozzles of the transfer head of the component mounting apparatus.
Patent document 1 discloses that the removing of the top tape from the base tape is carried out with use of a blade having an edge, for instance. Specifically, the blade is placed on a tape path of the carrier tape that is fed in the tape length direction. The edge of the blade enters between the base tape and the top tape in the tape length direction from front end side of the carrier tape that is moving, and the top tape is thereby removed from the base tape. A component supplying apparatus disclosed in Patent document 1 is configured so as to remove from the base tape a portion of the top tape on one side of the tape width direction.
Patent Document 1: U.S. Pat. No. 7,713,376
In recent years, a component supplying apparatus that allows a plurality of types of carrier tapes to be used has been demanded.
In a component supplying apparatus having a configuration that allows use of a plurality of types of carrier tapes, however, there is a possibility that a carrier tape of a particular type, such as a carrier tape that is thin or that has a tendency to curl, may run on teeth of a sprocket wheel and that defective feeding of the carrier tape may consequently be caused on a tape path.